₦airaland Forum

Outrage trailed the abduction of 15 pupils of Abayi International School in Aba, Abia State yesterday, but the kidnappers upped the ante by increasing the ransom demanded on the school children to N40 million from N20 million. Contrary to the speculation on Monday evening that the school kids were abandoned in a bush path near a village in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area few hours after their kidnap on the way to school on Monday, investigations showed that they were still held captive.

When Daily Sun visited the school at about 2.45 p.m yesterday, none of the principal officers was around. They were said to have gone out with some policemen in search of the pupils, aged between three and 10.
A staff member who preferred anonymity confided in Daily Sun that the kids had not been freed and that frantic efforts were being made towards their release.
Some parents of the kidnapped school children were seen trooping into the compound perhaps to discuss with the school officials on the way forward.

When contacted, the spokesman, Abia State Police, ASP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the command had been unable to establish contact with the school authorities. However, a senior police officer in Aba, on condition of anonymity, claimed they visited the school yesterday morning but could not get any concrete information.

According to him, “we went to the school this morning (Tuesday) to get information about the children from the authorities, but all they told us was that God was in control. Please, my brother, if you have information concerning the whereabouts of the children, give us so that we can work on it,” he said.

There were, however, moves yesterday indicating the children would be freed as the authorities of the school, with the parents, intensified moves towards this direction but how soon that could be remained unknown.
In a related development, the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, yesterday, reacted angrily to the kidnap of the 15 pupils by unknown gunmen in Osisioma near Aba in Abia State describing it as callous and unacceptable.

Nwodo, in a statement by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, described the action of the hijackers of the children, most of them in nursery and primary level, as wicked and challenged relevant security agencies to fish them out and save the children, their families and the nation the trauma.
The PDP national chairman said such wicked action by anybody at a time the nation was in the celebration mood and many foreign dignitaries already in the country for the nation’s golden jubilee was not only callous but distracting.
He said the issue of kidnapping in the South-east, especially Abia, had become a huge embarrassment to the nation and should be condemned by all reasonable persons.

The last high profile kidnap in the same area involved three Lagos-based journalists returning to Lagos after attending a conference of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
In addition, the UN Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has joined the array of those crying out against the kidnap of the 15 school children in Abia on Monday describing it as craven.
“Under no circumstances should children be the target of violence,’’ said the Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Dr. Suomi Sakai, in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

“Kidnapping children for financial gain is simply heinous,’’ the statement noted.
The children’s fund, which advocates everywhere for the inviolability of schools, hoped the law enforcement agencies would be able to find and bring the children to safety quickly.
“In all its work, UNICEF stresses the need for families, communities and civil society to work in partnership to protect the rights and well-being of children,” the statement added.

“Communities in which children are safe and well, are communities in which everyone is safe and well,” the statement added.



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/29/national-29-09-2010-001.htm

I believe the abia state government has handled kidnapping issue in the state which has reached an epic with unseriousness and laxity. the government should have known by now that establishing local security service just like the days of bakassi boys is the key to stopping the re-occurring inhuman trade.I STATE HERE CARTEGORICALLY THAT THE UGLY TREND COULD BE MITIGATED IF THE GOVERNMENT RISE UP TO ITS RESPONSIBILITIES, RISE UP ABIA,RISE UP NIGERIA,

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday ordered security agencies in the country to find the 15 nursery and primary pupils kidnapped on Monday in Aba, Abia State.

The children, who all attend Abayi International School, Aba were abducted in their school bus on their way to school. The kidnappers have since posted a ransom demand of N20 million.

Doing our best

In a statement by the president's spokesman Ima Niboro, Mr. Jonathan also directed the acting Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, and other security agencies to immediately take all necessary steps to rescue the children and return them safely to their parents.

"The President urges the parents and relatives of the children to remain calm and assures them that government will do everything possible to apprehend the kidnappers and bring closure to these ugly incidents as soon as possible."

The Abia State government had last week given kidnappers in the state a two week ultimatum to surrender their weapons and be rehabilitated in an amnesty programme.

Speaking in Abuja, Mr Ringim said competent police officers have been deployed to rescue the school children, adding that, "We have received the report that the children were kidnapped when the bus conveying them to school was attacked. We have already deployed some police officers and men to Aba. The police have also deployed the Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) to the state for quick intervention." He said, "We are doing the best we can, going by the training and leadership capability of our men, to ensure that the situation is brought under control. We have capable and competent men to do the job. In a shortest possible time, the situation will be turned around."

State of anomie

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has ordered all corps members serving in the state to withdraw from their places of primary assignment to the orientation camp in Umuahia, if they feel threatened by any attack.

Five corps members kidnapped in neighbouring, Rivers State weeks ago have not been heard of since. Five journalists were also kidnapped in the state in July and released a week after.

Meanwhile, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Okwesilieze Nwodo has condemned the abduction of the pupils. He described the incident as callous and unacceptable. A statement by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, said the incident has soiled the nation's 5oth anniversary celebrations at a time when many foreign dignitaries are in the country for the golden jubilee.

He said the hijackers are wicked and challenged relevant security agencies to fish them out and save the children, their families and the nation the trauma.

The chairman said that the issue of kidnapping in the South East geo-political zone, especially Abia State, has become a huge embarrassment to the nation and should be condemned by all.

The Network of Police Reform in Nigeria, a non governmental organisation, noted that, "the police and other security forces have, not just lost control, but have themselves become targets of unrelenting attacks by the hoodlums they are expected to checkmate." A statement by Okechukwu Nwanguma, the Programme Coordinator said the state government has lost control of the situation adding, "Any government that cannot protect lives and property is not worth the name."

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5624514-146/jonathan_orders_security_agencies_to_find.csp

@poster i feel you need to recall that he is still your boyfriend not your husband so if you get married to him and you see used condoms in his car what will you do than. My lady you need to open your eyes  

So what?

Men i give it to OBJ, this is a cool one from him

Get one of his phone number and give a call he will surely do something if you have a solid proof.

Only GOd can save us all.

This guy is a deplorable idiot seeking attention and this foundation has given him all the stupendous channel that he needed to exhibit his timid dirty mindset.Wake up Brazilians and take his silly works down.The world needs more peaceful arts than mad menafterwords,Adolf Hitler was an artist too so there is nothing very strange about this 21st century barbaric Brazilian Artist.

BRAZIL – A Brazilian artist has provoked outrage by unveiling a series of drawings in which he depicts himself assassinating nine world leaders.



According to the Daily Telegraph, the charcoal drawings by Gil Vicente became a focus of controversy when they went on display at the opening of the Sao Paulo Art Biennial on Saturday.



The former United States President George W Bush is shown kneeling on the ground with his wrists bound behind him as Vicente pushes a pistol into his temple.



The Queen faces the onlooker with her hands clasped before her, apparently unaware that the artist is behind her pointing a gun at her back.



Pope Benedict XVI confronts the assassin with his hands raised, while the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Solva is trussed like a joint of meat with a butcher’s knife at his throat.



Other world leaders depicted in the violent series include the former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.



The series, called Inimigos (Enemies), is meant to highlight alleged crimes for which the leaders have been directly or indirectly responsible by imagining that they are being made to pay the price.



“Because they kill so many other people, it would be a favour to kill them, understand? Why don‘t people in power and in the elite die?” he said.



The Brazilian bar association has demanded that the images be removed from the exhibition, alleging that they encourage violent crime.



“Even though a work of art freely expresses the creativity of its maker, without limits, there have to limits to exhibiting it publicly,” a spokesman said.



But the artist has responded furiously to suggestions that his work should be censored. “They claim it justifies crime. Stealing public money is not a crime? The reports on TV aren‘t trying to justify crimes? Only my work is justification of crime?” he said.



But the organisers of the Biennial defended Vicente’s right to exhibit his work. They said in a statement: ”A fundamental quality of our institution is curatorial independence and freedom of expression. The works exhibited to do not reflect the opinion of the curators nor of the Biennial Foundation.”



The works, hanging in a prominent position in the Biennial exhibition in a hall in Sao Paulo‘s main Ibirapuera Park, are valued collectively at $260,000 (£165,000). They are not available individually.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100928011784

He needs to get into bigger clubs than WBA. I want him in Arsenal or Chelsea I have always know that the lad is talented. I hope big club in England will sign him from WBA. He is a very dedicated and patriotic player too for Nigeria. I wish him all the best

Osaze Odemwingie believes he has already proved Lokomotiv fans wrong after making a stunning start to his West Brom career.



Odemwingie was abused by fans at his former club in Moscow, culminating in a derogatory banner that many felt was racist.



But he has looked outstanding since moving to the Premier League, scoring three goals already - including one in West Brom‘s shock 3-2 victory at Arsenal.



Odemwingie told talksport.com on Monday, ”I had a few problems at Lokomotiv this season, mostly I played on the wings but now I am playing up front and that‘s why I‘m getting more chances to score.



”If you prove yourself in the Premier League, you show yourself to the world that you can perform at the top level. If you can play here, you can play anywhere.



“I talked about the banners but now I want to forget about that issue. The Lokomotiv banner made me feel a little bit bad – it wasn‘t a big deal, the little effort they put into it.



”But it was good to give the West Brom fans a result back for their support.”



Odemwingie also told the Albion fans ”nothing is impossible” as the Baggies revelled in their stunning victory at Arsenal.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009280131075
Link:

Super Eagles forward Osaze Odemwingie’s father would rather his son joined Arsenal for two million pounds than signed to play for Manchester United for 20 million pounds.



Although he is an Arsenal fan, Mr. Odemwingie was forced to pull off his Arsenal shirt to cheer his son when West Bromwich Albion beat the Gunners 3-2 in London on Saturday.



”I‘m a big Arsenal fan, but for this game, I had to apologise to my fellow Gunners that my son‘s team come first,” Odemwingie senior, who watched the game alongside over 100 fans at his public viewing centre in Benin City, told MTN Football.com



”We have reconciled after that game, but there will be no need for that clash of interest again if he signs for Arsenal.



”My son and I spoke a great deal about the game before and after. He even wanted me to be in London for the game, but I could not.



”He also wanted to be sure that the match will be shown live on television in Nigeria because in our village, Urhonigbe, about 45 minutes drive from Benin, a lot of friends and family will also be watching on TV.”



Osaze netted his third goal of the season when he opened the scoring in the 50th minute in front of 60,000-strong crowd at the Emirates.



Strike partner Jerome Thomas set him up brilliantly and all the Nigerian had to do was stab the ball home from the six yards box.



Before then, he had earned his team a penalty after 37 minutes, when he was brought down on his way to goal by a diving Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. However Almunia redeemed himself by saving the spot kick.



“When Albion lost the penalty, I was uncomfortable because he worked really hard to get it,” Osaze‘s father revealed to MTNFootball.com.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100928052890

This has clearly demostrate the remarkable differnce bewteen the police and the army. If it were to be the police, they will hide and come out after the robers flee to arrest innocent citizens to bail themselves with money at the police station.They will go to the press parade innocent people as the suspected robbers.Nigeria Police Force is a shame.

An unidentified pregnant woman slumped as soldiers and men suspected to be armed robbers engaged in an early morning shoot-out on Enugu-Port-Harcourt Expressway, Enugu State, on Monday.



The men, who were about 12, according to some eyewitnesses, emerged from the bush at about 6.30am in Ogwugwu community of Awgu Local Government Area in Enugu.



The eyewitnesses, who were in vehicles, told PUNCH METRO that the suspected robbers flagged them down on the road, adding that they did not suspect that the men were robbers on time.



An eyewitness Miss Ukamaka Agbo, said, “While the drivers halted their vehicles, most of us alighted and ran into the bush at the other side of the road. But they chased us and started shooting sporadically. Out of shock, the pregnant woman, who had boarded the same bus with me, collapsed while we ran for safety.



“We saw soldiers emerge from nowhere and engaged them in a shoot-out.



“Initially, the robbers took to their heels, but when they got to the express road, they stood firmly and began to confidently fire back at the soldiers.”



After about 30 minutes of gunfire, the suspected robbers gave way and fled in their three cars.



When contacted, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations Unit, 82 Division, Lt.-Col. Musa Sagir, confirmed the incident.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009281573715

Senator Kanti Bello, Deputy Director-General of IBB Presidential Campaign Organization has said that Nigeria must reject a repeat of June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola owing to what he described as the sycophancy of most Nigerians that knew the truth then, but chose to look the other way. He spoke with Daily Sun in Abuja. Excerpts:

How is the campaign for General IBB going?
Everything is on course, things are moving okay since he declared and he read what I will call his mission statement. Very unambiguous, clear-cut policy lines, patriotic meaning, youth empowerment among other issues of national importance. Babangida has put on the front burner a mission statement that incorporated economic policies. You see the beauty about IBB, is the fact that you know where he stands. We have nothing to worry about, we will work hard. We only hope that the primaries should be free and fair and INEC should do its duty of oversight to make sure that fairness is effected.

But some states are saying that IBB should not come near them. Even his campaign office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has been closed down and his rent returned to him.
No. I am not aware of such development. Whoever said so or sponsored such is planting a very bad seed. Ex-governor Peter Odili was with us at the declaration. He cannot be a governor for eight years and you tell me he is nobody in Rivers. In any case, it is even unconstitutional for any Nigerian to say that your right as an individual to campaign would be denied. I want to believe that it is not true but if it is true. If I say nobody should paste any poster of Goodluck in my area, how will it feel? I think if that happens, the danger we were afraid of, we are getting into it.

Which Danger?
The danger of Goodluck running and creating sectional animosity or sectional bad feeling that is dangerous to our corporate survival. This country is formed by nationalities. For anybody whatsoever, no matter his position to say that you cannot campaign or contest in his area, and that would be the height of political recklessness. May be an individual can have a right to say don’t come to my house because it is his own personal property. Rivers State is in Nigeria and I doubt if that is happening anyway. In the same vein many people may not like Jonathan’s posters, but that is not enough to say it should not be pasted or he should not campaign in certain places. Let there be freedom and people should respect democratic ethos.

But it is not Jonathan that said so
Whoever said it, it is intimidation. Who is going to be intimidated, is he not from South -South? Come on, Nigeria is one country, we should be careful of how we run our campaign. We are patriotic Nigerians and we are not going to take nonsense from anybody. The message must be made very clear that anybody who thinks he can just dump any rubbish on us should think again, it is unacceptable.

Jonathan and zoning
Jonathan is not a gentleman, period. Zoning is a constitutional matter in the PDP. My quarrel with Jonathan is not that I don’t like the man. He is a leader of our party, President of our country. There is a constitution of our party which must be respected by every member. He just closed his eyes for his personal ambition instead of being a stabilizing factor. He knows that he wants to take something that is not his own and some greedy Nigerians are shamelessly supporting him. They are trying to curry for favours, thereby becoming very sycophantic and are not telling him the truth.

We have gone through this path before when Abacha created five political parties which the late Bola Ige described as five leprous fingers of Abacha. We have gone through this type of rubbish before as some hungry people believe that whatever any person in government particularly the Head of State or President does is right. This is not helping Nigeria. It is unpatriotic and that is why I quarrel about Jonathan running because I believe I should have a President that is having a moral.

If you sit down the nationalities that form a nation and they agree on something. Then half-way into the implementation of the agreement, you want to renege because of the death of someone that picks you to join him in maintaining the agreement, then he has a moral burden to deal with. That is one of the reasons why I am supporting IBB. I have nothing against Jonathan except that I believe what he is doing is morally wrong. At the higher level of politics, it is beyond something that is written in any constitution or something.

This is what you call morality and government and parties are run based on moralities. If you go to England, there is nothing like Constitution, things are run by what you call moral values. It is only in Nigeria that you find people promoting sectional feelings and not being patriotic, not being honest and doing things that are not fair, simply not fair. What Ken Nnamani and Raymond Dokpesi said and I will repeat it, “it is wrong for Jonathan to run” because it is not within the Constitution, there is moral issue involved. He is the leader of the party and let me be frank with you, I hope they will not help to destroy this country.

Which people?
The people that are thinking that others should not campaign in some places or their own area. If it is true, that is one way of destroying the country. One country, some people or some group of people will say don’t come to our area. Who the hell are they? It is a disgrace.

What about the youth in Abeokuta that scattered the campaign gathering of IBB?
I have no reaction to it, what do you want me to say, to say that what they have done is right or what? It means that they are uncivilized, uncultured if they have done so. It should not be promoted in the 21st century and it is not even in the Electoral Act. Do you mean to tell me that Jonathan is running without the law? Is he encouraging that? Are his supporters encouraging that, that there should be lawlessness in this country? Is that what he calls free and fair election? Don’t expose the man because you are just exposing him.

Is there really morality in politics?
There is morality in politics. Some of us are in politics based on principle and we have morality in politics. Throughout my political life whatever I do, go and crosscheck, I have no fear, whatever I do is on principle and I believe in it and I represent my people. That is what we call morality. If I have an agreement with you, I will honour it. We can’t have a President of a country not honouring agreement between nations, between countries, within his own party. The constitution of his own party, he throws it away and you are saying that the man, God where are we heading? I had never thought that Nigeria would descend so low. We are supposed to come out and tell the man no and that is exactly what IBB is doing and we are supporting him.

What happens where IBB loses or wins election?
I have never joined a losing side in my life, so, ask me what happens when he wins because he is going to win. I have no plan of losing because I don’t want to lose and I am not going to lose and there is no chance of losing whatsoever. Nigerians are accessible people. They are not going to have a President that is not honourable, that cannot keep to a promise and cannot honor the constitution of his party. Why would they give this man the mandate? The PDP will not give him mandate.

Look at it this way, suppose Yar’Adua didn’t die, do you think there would be somebody from the South that the party will support to run for the President? Why do you think that members of the PDP and the party did not support a Northerner in 2003 when Obasanjo was running for second term? It was because the party subsumed in its policy. If Jonathan was not the leader of this party and President, would his joining the race be an issue? It would not have been an issue. Do you know why it is an issue? It is because he is the President of Nigeria and presidents are honourable people.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2010/sept/28/newsbreak-28-09-2010-001.htm

If the North donot want the Country to remain one entity and move on with a credible President Jonathan, the its high time it be splited into three or four or six. Development will be faster that way. I wonder if the North that claim number after counting cows in addition to human beings will be able to survive economically. Some northern politicians are very selfish and they think they are the king makers in Nigeria not knowing that the tide has changed.

The Bishop of the Lagos West Diocese, Anglican Communion, The Rt. Revd. Peter Adebiyi, has said that the way 2011 election is handled will determine the future of the country. He said politicians had a strategic role to play in keeping the nation together.



Speaking during a service on Sunday to celebrate Nigeria at 50 and 2010 National Harvest at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos, the cleric admonished the Independent National Electoral Commission to live up to its promise of free, fair and credible election in 2011.



He also advised the electorate to register, vote massively and ensure that their votes count. He advised them not to sell their votes and consciences and to resist rigging.



Adebiyi said, “Politicians should, for God’s sake, allow Nigeria to be. If the country scatters, it is the politicians. If it will remain as an entity, it is the politicians. The way they handle it, especially the coming election, will determine what will be the future of the country. They should please allow Nigeria to stay.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009281592795

Why do we always fool ourselves by making statements such as this “Chief Press Secretary, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, in Abuja on Monday said” Please honestly what qualifies the president wife to have a press secretary. I can understand if the domestic assistance because she has to prepare for foreign and local guest that visit the state house but not assistance such ADC, press secretary etc. These are ways of wasting fund. First ladies are not recognized in the constitution.

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, has listed Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili; the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri and 48 other Nigerian women as recipients of awards commemorating Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary.



A statement issued by her Chief Press Secretary, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, in Abuja on Monday said, Akunyili and other ”female pioneers‘ such as Managing Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Francesca Emanuel, Ebele Okeke, Judith Attah, Aduke Alakija and Priscilla Kuye were being honourced for distinguished service to the nation, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.



“The awards will be given to female pioneers in various fields, especially in areas considered as being exclusively for men.



“The objective of introducing the award is to immortalise the contributions of these great women so that their role in our nation’s history will not be forgotten,” the statement said.


Link;http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009283103420

THERE IS NO CRISIS ANYWHERE.THAT IS A POLITICAL UNDERTONE.NOTHING IS HAPPENING.GOD IS IN CONTROL IN NIGERIA AND JONATHAN WILL SUCCESSFULLY MOUNT THE THRONE.WE DONT WANT THE OTHER POLITICIANS.THEIR POLITICAL TRACK RECORDS ARE NOT GOOD.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday allayed fears that his participation in the 2011 presidential election could lead to crisis in the country.



The President added that he was the best candidate among the aspirants that had expressed intention to lead the country in 2011.



Jonathan spoke at an interactive session with the aged, women and children, and the disabled at the Banquet Hall of the State House.



The interactive session, which had the President answering questions and responding to comments from the gathering, was part of events lined up for the celebration of Nigeria’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009283152514

This girl no fine pass my mama at allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll are we sure she is 24 or 42  

Mr President, I admire your courage but I think charity begins at home. If the Nigerian borders were not porous, these arms would not find their way in. The Nigerian customs should be held accountable for some of these arms that find their way in illegally. It may also interest you to know that there are illegal arms manufacturing camps in places like Aba-ala near Aba in Abia state which is right under your nose. On the overall, it is a good thing you mentioned it before a small armed crisis starts in this part of Africa.

The dumping of small arms and light weapons in Africa by Western countries is retarding socioeconomic and political development of the continent by fuelling conflict, Goodluck Jonathan told dignitaries at the just concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Mr Jonathan, who addressed the 65th session of the UN, also said the continuous exclusion of Africa from the permanent membership of the UN Security Council can no longer be justified. He called for the adoption of preventive diplomacy by the UN for the management of international conflicts, as a replacement for the current use of force through peacekeeping operations, which have become very expensive to maintain.

He also urged the international body to review the “rules of engagements” in all its ongoing peacekeeping operations across the world in order to avoid or substantially reduce the death of UN soldiers during such operations. “Nigeria calls on the UN to take firm action towards the control of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, by adopting an arms trade treaty,” he said. “It is estimated that about 100 million of these weapons are in sub-Saharan Africa alone. This have been identified as falling in the categories of weapons that are actually killing more people in the African continent than have been killed by any other type of weapons. However, like nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, there are no global treaties or legally binding instruments for dealing with the challenges of small arms and light weapons.”

Praise for ECOWAS

Mr Jonathan said the proliferation of these arms encourages the culture of impunity, trans-border crime, armed robbery, piracy, kidnapping, raping of innocent women and retardation of economic growth, “because no one will want to invest in a nation or a region that is crisis prone.” He praised the ECOWAS and the “substantial progress” it has made in bringing peace and stability to countries in the community that, until recently, were embroiled in political crisis.

“We will still continue to build on these achievements to consolidate stability and engender prosperity in the sub-region,” he said. “The need for the UN to provide leadership in addressing problems and challenges of a global nature is imperative. We urge the UN to quicken the pace of its reforms, not only to better reflect current global realities, but also to ensure that it enjoys genuine legitimacy.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5623660-146/jonathan_asks_un_to_combat_small.csp

Go ahead Pat Utomi, young intelligent nigerians are solidly behind you for the change we seek.

A presidential aspirant on the platform of Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP), Pat Utomi has expressed strong commitment to the initiative of a group of 24 political leaders of thought who plan to present common candidates at the next general elections.

He also said that though he is currently the party’s chairman, his presidential aspiration and the platform for its actualization is purely dependent on the success of the new alliance of progressive politicians in the country.

Addressing Mega Summit Strategy Team in Lagos at the weekend, Mr Utomi said he will be making a formal declaration of his intent to run for office of the president immediately after the meeting of progressive leaders of thought to be hosted by Anthony Enahoro in Benin, Edo State capital on October 7th.

He added that his desire to run for the presidency would be predicated on the plan by some political groups to present a formidable front in the presidential elections.

“My desire to run for the office of the president is predicated on the momentum that will be generated by leaders of conscience towards producing formidable front,” Mr Utomi said. “I have a duty to my conscience and posterity and shall seek to prosecute that obligation in the present circumstance on the granite coalition of genuine patriots and parties committed to redeeming Nigeria.” Too weak to matter The presidential aspirant said though he has been under pressure from many quarters to contest the elections, no single force can dislodge the PDP from power.

“Though I appear to be under serious pressure from many quarters to run, as things stand today, no single patriotic force can by itself neutralize the antics of the ruling cabal in the country. So, we are committed to the Kenya model of patriotic alliance that can provide a granite coalition and formidable front capable of ousting the power mongers in Nigeria.” Mr Utomi also announced the recent reconciliation between the leadership of his party, Social Democratic Mega Party and Rasheed Shitta Bey led Mega Party Progressive Platform, adding that the two groups are already “perfecting strategies with other progressive platforms to face the 2011 elections as a block.” He, however, promised a coalition government of national unity if the patriotic alliance wins the forthcoming presidential election.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5623718-147/utomi_seeks_alliance_of_forces_against.csp

That is the dumbest statement I have heard all my life.Are these fools educated at all?

The group of nine lawmakers that recently announced its takeover of the Ogun State House of Assembly, headed by Shoyemi Coker, yesterday verbally attacked Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, saying he is crying more than the bereaved over the unresolved political crisis in the Assembly and that he was not properly briefed by his lieutenants.

Mr Soyinka and the leadership of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) recently condemned the announcement of the G-9 lawmakers that they have sacked the leaders of the House, backed by 15 members of the Assembly, saying this amounts to treason which should not be accepted.

But reacting to the statement, the ‘Deputy Speaker’ of the G-9 Assembly, Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan, said his colleagues are dismayed over the statement credited to the Wole Soyinka-led SNG on the recent change in the leadership of the state legislature.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta and signed by Ayo Giwa, the Assembly spokesman, the lawmakers stated that they wondered why the SNG jumped to the conclusion that the sitting of Monday, September 6, 2010, could be adjudged as an illegality.

“The SNG should not cry more than the bereaved. The new leadership is ready to abide by court judgment if the aggrieved faction goes to court and no threat of protest could change the already legally and constitutionally sanctioned decision which effected a change of leadership in the Ogun State House of Assembly,” Mr Giwa said.

He said Mr Coker had stated the legality of the September 6 sitting, which was carried out with all required legislative procedures.

“It is informative to stress that our patriotic action was grounded on relevant sections of Nigeria’s Constitution and the existing rules of the House which have always guided our legislative proceedings,” Mr Giwa said.

Satisfied with action

Mr Odugbesan also said his group of lawmakers held a meeting with the leadership of the SNG to explain its action.

“The joint meeting held between the Group of 11 and the SNG did not have Professor Wole Soyinka in attendance and the highly revered persona and a distinguished son of Ogun State could not have uttered such statement credited to him if he was properly briefed,” he said.

“For emphasis, the action of the Group of 11 was carried out with a deep sense of responsibility. Egbetokun was suspended along with 14 other members of the House who had, before now, held the government and the entire people of Ogun State to ransom due to their undemocratic approach to issues without consulting the Group of 11.

“There is still room for the suspended members to clear themselves of the allegations levelled against them or, at worst, proceed to any court of law to seek redress. This they have not done but, instead, hired the SNG to fight their unjust cause.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5623764-146/ogun_lawmakers_tell_soyinka_to_mind.csp

President Goodluck Jonathan during the weekend, at a mini-political rally, packaged by the Jonathan/Sambo Group for 2011, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Central Park, New York, said though he wishes to emerge victorious in the 2011 Presidential election, he will not toy or play politics with the future of Nigerians.

He insisted, his immediate preoccupation right is how to provide Nigerians with good leadership in order to bring the country at par with other fast growing economies of the world. He added “I will not play politics with the development of Nigeria.”

The President regreted that countries which started the race to economic recovery with Nigeria such as Malaysia and Brazil, are living in the jet age while Nigeria is still lagging behind.
The President cited Brazil that has for instance, started manufacturing its own war planes while Nigeria could only boast of producing gun powder, stressing “this is unacceptable to a country such as Nigeria, after 50 years of independence.”

Jonathan reiterated that he would rather remain focused on his development agenda for Nigeria than be controlled by the tenets of politics, and urged Nigerians both at home and abroad to join hands with his government in the task of nation-building which the administration is currently saddled with. He said there were emerging facts on daily basis that the Nigerian economy is on the path of steady recovery.

The President who was delighted to see one of his former colleagues at the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) but now resident in the US, narrated how he would always insists that the right thing be done at all times no matter whose ox is gored, adding that nobody including himself could have believed that one day he would become a politician.

President Jonathan said Nigeria’s greatness is always on his mind and expressed optimism that one day Nigerian shall be great like other developed countries of the world even as he urged Nigerians in Diaspora to always strive to do what is right before the laws of their host countries.

According to him, Nigerians living abroad should not be in a hurry to return home, except those that don’t have genuine businesses. He said that great countries of the world today have their nationals spread around the rest of the world, “we we want our people to be everywhere because we have the human resources to do well anywhere we are.”




http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/27/national-27-09-2010-004.htm

Vice President, Namadi Sambo Sunday flew into Lagos on an official assignment. Prior to his arrival, members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stormed the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos to receive him.

Also on ground was the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, former Deputy Governor of Lagos, Femi Pedro, and Demola Seriki, former Minister of Interior.

As soon as the Presidential airplane marked 5N-FGS taxied into the lounge area about 11.55am, the PDP supporters and Fashola ran to the tarmac to welcome him.

But the party supporters blocked the foot of the airplane such that it was hard before Fashola could access the visiting Vice President. Sambo arrived Lagos in company with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, and the Minister of Finance, Segun Aganga.
He hurriedly hopped into a waiting helicopter and flew to the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) where he was billed to commission a national flag in celebration of Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary.





http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/sept/27/national-27-09-2010-016.htm